Asset-Backed Securities The Securitization Process Prof. Ian Giddy Stern School of Business New York University
Asset-Backed Securities The basic idea What s needed? The technique Applications Typical sequence The Securitization Process3
Securitization of Assets Securitization is the transformation of an illiquid asset into a security. For example, a group of consumer loans can be transformed into a publically-issued debt security. A security is tradable, and therefore more liquid than the underlying loan or receivables. Securitization of assets can lower risk, add liquidity, and improve economic efficiency. Sometimes,assets are worth more off the balance sheet than on it. The Securitization Process4
What is the Technique for Creating Asset-Backed Securities? A lender originates loans, such as to a homeowner or corporation. The securitization structure is added. The bank or firm sells or assigns certain assets, such as consumer receivables, to a special purpose vehicle. The structure is legally insulated from management Credit enhancement and rating agency reviews The SPV issues debt, dividing up the benefits (and risks) among investors on a pro-rata basis The Securitization Process5
Securitization: The Basic Structure SPONSORING COMPANY ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SALE OR ASSIGNMENT SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE ISSUES ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES The Securitization Process6
The Process Is Is the the company company ready? ready? Are Are the the assets assets suitable? suitable? What What pool? pool? What What legal legal structure? What What credit credit enhancement? The Securitization Process8
Is the Company Ready for ABS? Does the originator currently face a high cost of funding assets that would be recognized as sound, cash-generating assets if taken in isolation? Does it have a regulatory or capital constraint that makes freeing up the balance sheet important? Does it have data about the assets (required by rating agencies and financial guarantors)? Does it have the servicing process and systems that can meet the more demanding standards of the assetbacked market? Is the originator willing to undertake a complex, timeconsuming transaction to obtain a broader, potentially cheaper, ongoing source of funding? The Securitization Process9
Are the Assets Suitable? The Pool of Assets Should Have: Volume which is sufficiently large and homogenous to facilitate statistical analysis A stable history of rates, defaults, delinquencies, prepayments and so forth Sufficient diversification--for example, geographic and socio- economic-- to reduce vulnerability to economic stresses Basic lender s credit quality standards that are capable of being evaluated and approved by rating agencies and specialized financial guaranty companies Assets must be transferable and unencumbered In short, the assets themselves must be sufficiently strong to support a high credit rating without the backing of the originating lender. The Securitization Process11
What is the Technique for Creating Asset-Backed Securities? A lender originates loans, such as to a homeowner or corporation. The securitization structure is added. The bank or firm sells or assigns certain assets, such as consumer receivables, to a special purpose vehicle. The structure is legally insulated from management IMPLEMENTATION Credit enhancement and rating agency reviews The SPV issues debt, dividing up the benefits (and risks) among investors on a pro-rata basis The Securitization Process12
Finance Company Limited
Case Study: The Company (Finance Company Limited) Finance company whose growth is constrained Has pool of automobile receivables Has track record Plans to use this as an ongoing source of financing The Securitization Process14
Key Decisions Securitize the assets Decisions Form of transfer of asset Form of special purpose vehicle Form of credit enhancement Form of cash flow allocation Form of transformation of cash flows The Securitization Process15
Case Study: Initial Exchanges Finance Co. s Customers Hire-Purchase Agreement Finance Co. Ltd (Seller) The Securitization Process16
Case Study: Initial Exchanges Finance Co. s Customers Hire-Purchase Agreement Finance Co. Ltd (Seller) Proceeds FCL 1997-A (Special Purpose Co.) Proceeds Investors The Securitization Process17
Case Study: Initial Exchanges Finance Co. s Customers Hire-Purchase Agreement Servicing Agreement Finance Co. Ltd (Seller) Proceeds Sale of Assets FCL 1997-A (Special Purpose Co.) Proceeds Asset-Backed Securities Investors Trustee Trust Agreement The Securitization Process18
Case Study: Initial Exchanges Finance Co. s Customers Rating Agency Hire-Purchase Agreement Servicing Agreement Top Rating Finance Co. Ltd (Seller) Proceeds Sale of Assets FCL 1997-A (Special Purpose Co.) Proceeds Asset-Backed Securities Investors Trustee Trust Agreement The Securitization Process19
Case Study: Ongoing Payments Finance Co. s Customers Hire-Purchase Payments Servicing Fees Finance Co. Ltd (Seller) Monthly HP Payments FCL 1997-A (Special Purpose Co.) Monthly ABS Payments Investors Trustee Trustee Responsibilities Guarantee Responsibilities Financial Guarantee Provider The Securitization Process20
Getting a Rating: The Risks Credit risks Liquidity risk Servicer performance risk Swap counterparty risk Guarantor risk Legal risks Sovereign risk Interest rate and currency risks Prepayment risks The Securitization Process21
Risk-Management Techniques in ABS ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SALE OR ASSIGNMENT SPONSORING COMPANY ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLE ISSUES ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES CREDIT CREDIT ENHANCEMENT ENHANCEMENT SOVEREIGN SOVEREIGN PROTECTIONS PROTECTIONS INTEREST INTEREST RATE/ RATE/ CURRENCY CURRENCY HEDGES HEDGES CASH CASH FLOW FLOW REALLOCATION REALLOCATION The Securitization Process22
Credit Enhancement: Guarantee Method Finance Co. s Customers Rating Agency Hire-Purchase Agreement Servicing Agreement Top Rating Finance Co. Ltd (Seller) Proceeds Sale of Assets FCL 1997-A (Special Purpose Co.) Proceeds Asset-Backed Securities Investors Trustee Trust Agreement Guarantee Agreement Financial Guarantee Provider (if required) The Securitization Process23
Credit Enhancement: An Alternative Approach Rating Agency Top Rating Senior Lower Rating Finance Co. Ltd (Seller) Proceeds Sale of Assets FCL 1997-A (Special Purpose Co.) Subordinated No Rating More Subordinated Guarantee Agreement Financial Guarantee Provider (if required) The Securitization Process24
Asset-Backed Securities The Rating Process and Credit Enhancement Prof. Ian Giddy Stern School of Business New York University
Rating Agencies Why bother with a rating? Compare equivalent credit risks across different kinds of debt: corporate, sovereign, ABS Compare alternatives across different ratings levels Obtain a relative as well as an absolute measure of credit risk Be reasonably sure of a market to sell the security. Moodys Standard & Poors Fitch Fitch The Securitization Process26
Default Matrix Source: Fitch, Bank CLOs The Securitization Process27
Rating Reports: Who Pays for Them? General reports on a sector, like CLOs Pre-sale report on an individual CLO, once risks have been evaluated but final terms and credit enhancement have not yet been finanized Final deal report Periodic updates The Securitization Process28
ABS: Factors Agencies Examine Asset portfolio analysis Legal structure of the transaction Quality of the originator/servicer The trustee The cash flow structure The counterparties The Securitization Process29
Rating Agencies: Business Analysis Organization and management structure Financial performance Business strategy and planning processes Controls and procedures Asset origination and credit assessment procedures Quality of its loan documentation Credit administation and debt recovery procedures The Securitization Process30
Credit Enhancement Senior/Sub or overcollateralization Reserve and liquidity accounts and lines Excess cash flow Third-party guarantees The Securitization Process31
The Result: Bond Credit Ratings Moody s Aaa Aa A Baa Ba B Caa Ca C Standard & Poor s AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Interpretation High-quality debt instruments Strong to adequate ability to pay principal and interest Ability to pay interest and principal speculative In default The Securitization Process32
Typical Rating Analysis Pre-securitization risk reduction Originator s credit underwriting standards Screening of assets to be included in the portfolio Diversification of the portfolio Legal structure based credit risk reduction Legal insulation from originator default Legal insulation from servicer default Credit quality of deal participants Originator/Seller/Servicer Trustee, swap counterparties Guarantors Integrity of cash flow structure Cash flow sufficiency and mismatches Safeguards and agreements such as swaps or caps Credit enhancement Rating Internal credit enhancement Third party credit enhancement Direct recourse Senior/subordination or overcollateralization Reserve or spread accounts Cash collateralized accounts Financial guarantees The Securitization Process33
Credit Enhancement Overcollateralization Senior/Sub or Reserve and liquidity accounts and lines Excess cash flow Third-party guarantees The Securitization Process34
Over-Collateralization Method SPECIAL-PURPOSE VEHICLE COLLATERAL POOL OVER-COLLATERAL SENIOR ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES EQUITY ABS (owned by seller) The Securitization Process35
Example of Senior/Sub Structure Class Rating Subordination A1,A2,A-x AAA 28% B AA 22% C A 16.5% D BBB 12% E BB 8.5% F B 5.5% Issuer balance NR 0% The Securitization Process36
Possible Time Frame 1 Determination of structure Information Memorandum 2 3 months 4 Commencement of documentation Detailed cash flow analysis Preparation for rating process Result of cash flow analysis Determination of eligible receivables Approach rating agencies and introduction of the structure envisaged Founding of the SPV Initiation of stock exchange approval process (in case of a Bond issuance) 5 Draft of Offering Circular (in case of a Bond issuance) Comments of the Rating agencies (Rating confirmation) 6 Determination of funding strategy Publication of Offering Circular (in case of a Bond issuance) Marketing (in case of a Bond issuance) This schedule serves as an indication only and may vary from transaction to transaction. 7 Completion of documentation Purchase of receivables and issuance of securities The Securitization Process37
One Bank s Assessment The implementation of a transaction usually takes between two and six months, provided all necessary data and information is readily available. This time frame does not take into account the rating process. The Securitization Process38
The Securitization Process - 1 One Bank s List A private placement for a client who has done previous securitizations Select securitization counsel and accountants Consider tax, accounting and securitization objectives Discuss data fields required for loan data file Define data to be audited by accountants Begin drafting Private Placement Memorandum (PPM) Begin drafting legal documents Assemble preliminary pool and create initial data tape Consider preliminary bond structure Select rating agencies Perform integrity check on data tape (cracking the tape) If new client, this would follow screening of corporation and loan pool for suitability Any info used in the PPM or in the pool analysis must be audited. If it s a public offering, need a public Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement. A discussion with rating agency be necessary for selection of legal structure and pool selection if it s a new type of ABS. Data from companies come in many different forms. The Securitization Process39
The Securitization Process - 2 One Bank s List Model cash flow and bond structure Prepare rating agency presentation Select trustee/backup servicer Reconcile discrepancies with accountants Distribute rating agency presentations Most investment banks active in ABS have developed modelling software Invariably, with the amount of information be supplied by the issuer via the tape, there will be mistakes/discrepancies to resolve, mostly with regard to loan data that s been provided. Meet with rating agencies Determine pending loan closings Select rating agencies and sign engagement letters Optimize loan pool and revise bond structure Rating agency borrower visits (if necessary) During this process, the issuer is still originating collateral going into the deal. The bank has to decide what else it want to include, and has to establish a cutoff date. Rating agency due diligence (if necessary) Complete loan closings and finalize loan pool Obtain preliminary subordination levels from rating agencies Which asset should not go into the pool? Its not necessarily bad collateral, but it may still hurt the overall profile of the pool The Securitization Process40
The Securitization Process - 3 One Bank s List Market transaction to sub-bond buyers (if necessary) Tie out collateral cash flow with accountants Final subordination levels from rating agencies Finalize bond structure based on final loan pool and sub-levels Tie out bond cash flows with accountants Finalize PPM and legal documents Arrange distribution by other banks Finalize internal marketing material Issuer presentation to salesforce Print red herring PPM and distribute to investors Market transaction to investors Price bonds and execute Bond Purchase Agreement Print final PPM CLOSE TRANSACTION This is the agreement to purchase the bonds from the SPV by the investor or investment The Securitization banks Process41 Alternative would be for originator to keep sub tranche The collateral cash flows in aggregate are structured to pay bonds. The bonds are then sold based on the likelihood that the bonds will receive those payments at a certain period in time. Therefore, the cash flows that pay the bonds are what the investor is purchasing. The bond cash flow characteristics are presented in the prospectus to investors and if they aren t tied out, there is a huge legal liability for the underwriter and issuer if they aren t correct.
Asset-Backed Securities Asset-Backed Securities: Legal and Regulatory Issues Prof. Ian Giddy Stern School of Business New York University
Asset-Backed Securities: Legal and Regulatory Aspects Legal The Transfer The Special-Purpose Vehicle Taxation Accounting Treatment Bank Regulatory Treatment The Securitization Process43
Legal Aspects LEGAL Goal: Credit quality must be solely based on the quality of the assets and the credit enhancement backing the obligation, without any regard to the originator's own creditworthiness Otherwise, quality of the ABS issue would be dependent on the originator's credit, and the whole rationale of the asset-backed security would be undermined. The Securitization Process44
Three conditions enable the separation of the assets and the originator The transfer must be a true sale, or its legal equivalent. If originator is only pledging the assets to secure a debt, this would be regarded as collaterized financing in which the originator would stay directly indebted to the investor. The assets must be owned by a specialpurpose corporation, whose ownership of the sold assets is likely to survive bankruptcy of the seller. The special-purpose vehicle that owns the assets must be independent LEGAL The Securitization Process45
The Form of Transfer: True Sale? LEGAL Form of transfer of asset True Sale Assignment Alternative: Credit swap (Synthetic ABS) Collateral The Securitization Process46
What Makes it a Sale? LEGAL The form and treatment of the transaction The nature and extent of the benefits transferred The irrevocability of the transfer The level and timing of the purchase price, Who possesses the documents Notification when the assets are sold The Securitization Process48
Asset Securitization CHASE (SPONSOR) CREDIT CARD RECEIVABLES SALE OR ASSIGNMENT SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLE CREDIT CARD RECEIVABLES ISSUES ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES The Securitization Process49
The Alternative: Synthetic ABS LEGAL HVB (Originator) REFERENCE POOL OF LOANS (Stay on balance sheet) CREDIT SWAP AGREEMENT SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLE TOP QUALITY INVESTMENTS ISSUES ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES The Securitization Process50
Accounting Treatment Sale versus financing Consolidation Accounting for loan servicing ACCOUNTING The Securitization Process51
FASB Sale Treatment The transferor relinquishes control of the future economic benefits embodied in the assets being transferred The SPV cannot require the transferor to repurchase the assets except pusuant to certain recourse provisions ACCOUNTING The transferor's obligation under any recourse provision are confined and can be reasonably estimated The Securitization Process52
Bank Regulation and Capital Requirements Goal: Ensure that the substance and not the form of the asset transfer is what governs capital requirements. The regulatory authorities may assess capital or reserve requirements as if the financing was a secured borrowing: Where the transfer leaves the bank open to recourse deemed risky by the authorities, Or where there is potential for a "moral hazard" whereby a bank may shore up potential or actual losses in the sold assets to protect its name even when not legally required to do so. The Securitization Process53
Basel 2 and ABS Originating banks ( clean break ) Investing banks (use of ratings) Sponsor banks (for ABS conduits) Synthetic securitization (degree of risk transference) The Securitization Process54
Basel 2 for Investing Banks AAA to AA- 20% A+ to A- 50% BBB+ to BBB- 100% BB+ to BB- 150% B+ and below Deducted from capital Source: Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, January 2001 The Securitization Process55
Example: Ford Credit Owner Trust 1999-A The Securitization Process56
Ford Structure Ford Ford Motor Credit Sale Class A-5 and A-6 Ford Credit Auto Rec. Two LP Sale Ford Credit Auto Owner Trust Class A-1 to A6 Receivables Class B Class C Class D Class D The Securitization Process57
Ford Structure: Waterfall Receivables Class A-1 to A6 Class B Class C Class D The Securitization Process58
Ford Structure: Default or Loss? Receivables Class A-1 to A6 Class B Class C Class D The Securitization Process59
Paydown: Soft Bullet Structure The Securitization Process60
Example: DBS Singa Deal DBS Bank Seller/Servicer Loan portfolio Singa US$ FRN Investors The Securitization Process61
Dah Sing/Hong Kong SAR Dah Sing Seller/Servicer Mortgage portfolio Hong Kong SAR Res Mort. Ltd US$ FRN Investors Currency Swaps Financial Guarantees General Re ASIA Ltd CapMac The Securitization Process62
Franchise Loan Securitization Franchisees (Borrowers) Loan Payments Loan Agreement Atherton Capital (Seller) Servicing Advisor Mellon Mortgage (Servicer) Proceeds Sale of Assets Atherton FLF 1998-A (Special Purpose Co.) Servicing Agreement Proceeds Asset-Backed Securities Investors Class Rating Subordination A1,A2,A-x AAA 28% B AA 22% C A 16.5% D BBB 12% E BB 8.5% F B 5.5% Issuer balance NR 0% The Securitization Process63
Films (Finance for an Italian Library of Movies) The Securitization Process64
Future-Flow Financing: Offshore Purchase Agreement YPF (Argentinian oil producer) Oil (under sales agreement) Oil Trading Co. (Cayman Is. SPV) US$ Oil (under purchase agreement) Notes US$ Noteholders Fixed debt payments Highly rated U.S. oil buyer US$ Trust The Securitization Process65
Asiansecuritization.com Ian H. Giddy Stern School of Business New York University 44 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA Tel 212-998-0426 ian.giddy@nyu.edu http://giddy.org The Securitization Process67